The opening weekend of the new year brought spectacular results for Tennessee basketball thanks to a pair of impressive victories.

UT opened its men's SEC schedule with a 67-56 upset of 13th-ranked Florida on Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Vols outplayed the visitors throughout, stretching a four-point halftime lead to as many as 16 points thanks to a defensive effort that limited the Gators to less than 36-percent shooting from the field.

"I thought it was a great atmosphere," said UT head coach Cuonzo Martin, whose Vols improved their overall record to 8-7. "It was fun to watch our guys really compete and battle. I don't think there have been too many times like that this year that we've played like that from a passion standpoint, playing for each other and defending the way we did."

The Lady Vols on Sunday won their 36th consecutive SEC game, a 69-38 thrashing of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Tennessee improved to 12-3 overall this year and 3-0 in conference play. UT hasn't lost in the SEC since falling at Georgia on Jan. 21, 2010.

"Our defense was just outstanding," Tennessee associate head coach Holly Warlick said of Sunday's effort. "We were swarming, and that's the type of defense that a Tennessee team should always play."

Scored nine of his team-high 13 points in the second half Saturday to propel the Vols to an upset win in their SEC opener.

Number of Note

56

Shekinna Stricklen finished with a combined 56 points against Arkansas during three career trips to her native state. The Morrilton native tallied 19 Sunday, including six to spark an opening 14-0 run by the Lady Vols.

Quotable

"It's only one game but we were just trying to start it off strong. Everybody's record was 0-0 so we were just trying to start over like a new year."

Vols 67, Florida 56
Tennessee placed four players in double-figures as the Volunteers opened Southeastern Conference play with a 67-56 upset victory over No. 13-ranked Florida on Saturday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena.

In head coach Cuonzo Martin's conference debut, his defensive-minded Vols held Florida's three-guard attack in check by winning the edge in the paint and holding the Gators to just 29.6 percent shooting in the second half. Florida shot a season-low 35.7 percent in the game to Tennessee's 51 percent.

"I thought it was a great atmosphere," said Martin, whose Vols improved their record to 8-7, 1-0 in the SEC. "It was fun to watch our guys really compete and battle. I don't think there have been too many times like that this year that we've played like that from a passion standpoint, playing for each other and defending the way we did."